Pandan Island, Philippines
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Having been uninhabited for many years, this Pandan was ‘discovered’ by a
French adventurer, who established the resort in the 1980s.
Pandan resort consists of 16 rooms and bungalows, a restaurant, a
beach bar and a dive centre. The bungalows are all built from native
materials to create a simple, comfortable, and private atmosphere.
All bungalows are facing the South China Sea and have their own shower and
toilet, (except for the five budget rooms, that share two bathrooms), a private
terrace and mosquito nets. Since there is no generator on the island, all
electricity needed for lights is produced by a solar system.
The restaurant serves Filipino and French food. Lunch and dinner are buffet
style and offer a variety of fresh fish, poultry or meat with vegetables, fruits
and coffee. The bar invites to sip a tropical drink, play a game of pool or
darts and watch the sun sinking into the South China Sea.
Other activities include sunset cruises, volleyball, table tennis, sea kayaks
and bird watching. Motorbike and sightseeing trips can also be arranged on
nearby Mindoro.
Diving
In 1994, a marine park was established around the island. Thanks to a
strict no fishing and “hands off” policy, the variety and density of the marine
life is remarkable.
The dive sites around the island vary from shallow coral gardens to deep
drop-offs on the north side, ideal for all levels of divers. All sites are
easily reached from the beach or with a dive catamaran in not more than fifteen
minutes.
Dive Safaris
One of the most exciting activities on Pandan Island is to go on a dive
safari with one of the two dive boats. Both vessels are local outrigger boats,
called 'bangkas' or 'bancas' and have been custom built for dive safaris.
The two main destinations for safaris are Apo Reef, with its coral gardens
and deep walls for one or two days and Coron (Busuanga) with its hundreds of
islets and its famous World War II wrecks for four to six days.
Pandan Island is the closest dive operator in the world to Apo Reef, and is
established as the leading dive shop, organizing dive safaris to the reef. Apo
Reef can be reached with the big outrigger boats in only ninety minutes. This
forty square kilometre atoll offers a multitude of dive sites and a good chance
to see sharks and other marine life.
Price: $84 USD per week.
Size: 50 Acres
Location: Mindoro, Philippines
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